TL/DR –
Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed a plan to expand Medicare to cover long-term, in-home health care for older adults. The plan involves Medicare covering costs once a medical provider has determined a senior is in need of help with daily tasks, potentially eliminating the need for them to move to nursing homes. The funding for these newly proposed benefits would be done through expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare, and addressing Medicare fraud.
In a bid to enhance Medicare coverage, Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed a plan, ensuring coverage for in-home health care for seniors. This initiative would accommodate long-term care services, allowing seniors to age in their own homes rather than nursing facilities and easing the burden on their families.
Contrary to popular belief, Medicare does not cover long-term care services like home health aides, which often surprises older citizens. Consequently, many resort to Medicaid for extended care, necessitating asset depletion to qualify. Despite qualification, in-home care coverage is limited and full coverage is typically provided only for nursing home residents.
Many individuals spend a significant amount on personal home aides or rely on unpaid family caregivers, placing immense strain on the caregivers. Harris, having personally provided care for her ailing mother, acknowledges the efforts required in providing dignity to ailing seniors.
Under Harris’ proposal, Medicare would cover at-home health benefits for seniors, following a medical provider’s determination of their need for support in daily tasks. She asserts that most seniors could live at home with an average of 20 hours or less of weekly care from an aide.
Harris proposes that Medicare should also cover hearing aids, eye exams, and eyewear to support seniors further. The new benefits would be financed by expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, enhancing manufacturer discounts for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare, and addressing Medicare fraud. If elected, she plans to collaborate with Congress to prevent Medicaid from seizing the homes of recently deceased enrollees.
The Harris plan targets the “sandwich generation.” These are individuals managing the care of their aging parents while raising their own families. Pew Research indicates that over half of Americans in their 40s fall into this category.
A pressing senior care crisis looms in the US. Moody’s analysis projects that 70% of older adults will require long-term care services, which are challenging to access and pay for. Furthermore, research indicates that at-home care is more effective than hospital care.
The proposed plan requires congressional approval and is likely to pass if the Democrats gain control of the House and retain the Senate in the forthcoming elections.
Caring Across Generations’ Executive Director, Ai-jen Poo, praised Harris’ plan, calling it “the future we can make possible in November,” in an Instagram post.
—
Read More US News; North Carolina News